SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA RELEASE
Release date: Friday, March 22, 2013
Jeremy Johnson of Wilderness named SIJHL’s top defensive forward
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Superior International Junior Hockey League announced today that Jeremy Johnson of the Minnesota Wilderness has been named the recipient of the SIJHL’s best defensive forward award for the 2012-13 season.
Johnson edged out Paul Thompson of the Dryden Ice Dogs and Merritt Rysavy of the Fort Frances Lakers for the honour.
The 20-year-old native of West Fargo, N.D. was a strong defensive force up front for the Wilderness helping them lead the SIJHL in penalty kill proficiency at 91.5% while also only allowing a league-low 85 goals against.
Johnson also had a big year offensively for the Wilderness finishing sixth overall in league scoring with 58 points on 30 goals and 28 assists, which were all career highs.
The following are the SIJHL’s all-time best defensive forward recipients:
2012-13: Jeremy Johnson, Minnesota Wilderness
2011-12: Sam Dubinsky, Thunder Bay North Stars
2010-11: Blake Boaz, Fort Frances Lakers
2009-10: Ryan Magill, Fort William North Stars
2008-09: Cale Brown, Fort William North Stars (Co-winner)
2008-09: Mitch Cain, Fort Frances Jr. Sabres (Co-winner)
2007-08: Travis Jaspers, Fort William North Stars
2006-07: Jason MacMillan, Thunder Bay Bearcats
2005-06: Jordan Chong, Dryden Ice Dogs
2004-05: Matt Tryuba, Dryden Ice Dogs
2003-04: Cory Bruno, Fort William North Stars
2002-03: Tom Grant, Fort William North Stars
2001-02: Josh Baxter, Borderland Thunder (Co-winner)
2001-02: Tom Grant, Thunder Bay Bulldogs (Co-winner)